Rating: 
Summary: What Coppola really wanted to make
Review: Coppola's commentary on this DVD reveals that he didn't want to make The Godfather, but did so under pressure. Following that movie's immense success, Coppola was able to make the movie HE wanted, based on a story he had been working on for years.This movie's theme is just as relevant today as it was back in 1974- the ethics of privacy. Hackman delivers an unusually understated and complex performance as a professional eavesdropper wrestling with the inherent dilemmas of his profession. His on-screen struggle and the final twist of forces against him is a compelling story unlike any other on film. Be sure to check out the highly entertaining commentary by Coppola and the separate commentary by the film's editor Walter Murch for some great backstory and behind the scenes information.
Rating: 
Summary: A terribly underappreciated thriller
Review: In spite of (or maybe because of) releasing this film the same year director Francis Ford Coppola rolled out "The Godfather II," "The Conversation" never got the full acclaim and attention it truly deserved. It's a smart, low-key, brilliant film which finds our hero, Harry Caul, getting trapped in a web of murder, deceit, and crime when he hears portions of a disturbing conversation. If you've already seen it, grab the DVD. If you haven't then you should still definitely add this one to your collection!
Rating:
Summary: The Coversation is BAD
Review: From the very beginning scene showcasing the then-state-of-the-art technology of listening devices to the final, mocking scene of madness, this conversation is one to watch. Gene Hackman delivers an outstanding perfomance as Harry Caul, a reclusive surveillance genius who---in an ironically comedic twist of the knife---values his own personal privacy above all else. Harry's expertise at spying on others---with emphasis in the audio department---is matched only by those who wish to surveil HIM. The slow, methodical descent into his madness is interrupted only for moments by lighthearted banter with his buddies in the same line of work, or his affinity for jazz saxophone (in his apartment, of course, and only when alone). The 113 minutes of this film are used very carefully, not one moment of a single frame is unnecessary or wasted; a trait quite common in more contemporary pieces. Chock another one up for Coppola!! A must-see/have for any Coppola fan, The Conversation is BAD.
Rating:
Summary: Intriquing
Review: This is the movie, the one that when the credits start to roll, you think to yourself, "No, it can't be. There's go to be more."
Well done. I don't remember hearing of this film when it came out, but it's defintely worth the time it takes to watch it.
Rating:
Summary: A true masterpiece of the 70's, heavy with atmosphere...
Review: The 70's provided the world with the best decade in film. This is exactly the sort of off-beat, left-of-center stuff that shaped American film-making. Not only does this movie build an intense and eerie vibe of conspiracy and paranoia, but it perfectly illustrates that a film doesn't need to patronize you to get a meaning across. So many films these days gently guide the audience through their weak, muddled plots--no substance, no integrity. If you want a film that respects its audience, transports you to a world that amazes and terrifies you, check this one out--you wont be dissapointed.
Rating: 
Summary: A Character Study Without A Character
Review: The strengths of this film have been discussed extensively [...], however, for me, there is a problem with the core premiss. Coppola wishes this to be a character study and, as such, it might be expected that there is in fact a character there to study; Harry Caul seems less a character than a faintly glossly, faintly translucent shell. By the end of the film it is not so much that little has been learned about Harry, but that one fears there is hardly anything to learn. Hackman has been praised and he does evince a sense of guardedness and paranoia which is compelling, but his is also a performance that suggests a rather frightening emptiness (contrary to Coppola's intention, as mentioned in his commentary, of having Harry Caul possess a 'lively and passionate core'). Coppola also refers to Hermann Hesse's novel 'Steppenwolf', and in this reference I think he again betrays the problem with the film, in that Harry Haller could well be taken as the skeleton of a man in search of a character, or better still, keen to divest himself of a character, not a conventional character open to conventional study. Still, the film's atmosphere and the resonances it has with its times are powerful, the sound and design, inventive. Coppola seems to revel in hanging many of his casual insights over the basic scaffolding of the film - his commentary, too, operates primarily on this level: his enthusiams focus on incidentals (interesting incidentals, but incidentals nevertheless), such as Harrison Ford's alleged brilliance in adding 'depth' to his character (with cookies); at times, Coppola seems to be hiding too - for instance he waxes over the 'loneliness' of the solo piano score, and how he had never heard of a film score using a solo instrument, yet earlier on he mentions Michelangelo Antonioni who is reknowned for using just such scores. So, it's almost as if the context of America, specifically America in the early 70's, provides much of the richness of this film, because Harry Caul certainly does not - he remains unknown to himself, to us, and, judging from the commentary, unknown largely to Coppola.
Rating:
Summary: A Jazz Movie
Review: Gene Hackman proves he can act in this movie. Matched along with Gene, John cazale is a great supporting actor. All great movies need a great music score and the music perfectly matches the plot of this movie. Using San Franscisco as the movies setting, fuels the movie's mystery. I think this is Coppola's best movie. Get this movie while you can. It is special.
Rating:
Summary: Just Because You Are Paranoid...
Review: ...Doesn't Mean You're Not Being Followed. Filmed and released between Coppola's masterpiece's THE GODFATHER and THE GODFATHER 2, The Conversation is a tremendous character study with teh flavors of a thriller. Gene Hackman, brings an incredible complexity and subtlety to his portrayal of Harry Caul. That performance and Francis Ford Coppola's direction and original script make this a film that is possibly more poignant today than during its original release, since the story deals with privacy and responsibility. Today, many of the feats performed by Caul as a surveillance operator, are available with most personal computers. Adorned with great characters, like John Cazale and Robert Duvall(both of THE GODFATHER), Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford in an early role as a Christmas Cookie baking weasel (both of AMERICAN GRAFITTI). But, its Hackman's story and his paranoia is evident from the get go. I believe it was the filmmakers intent for you to be left thinking when the film is over... they succeeded. The DVD is nicely restored with great sound design properly presented as well as a non-promotional mini-documentary and commentaries by Francis Ford and an editor.
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Summary: Excellent example of great editing
Review: "The Conversation" is an great movie to study from an editing point of view. After Coppola shot the film, he handed everything over to editor and sound designer Walter Murch. Coppola had to work on "The Godfather Part II" and had given Murch pretty much carte blanche to do what he needed to do. This film is as much as Murch's work (if not more) as it is Coppola's. While the role of the director is pretty well known and understood (mostly exagerated) by the general public, the editor is less often recognized. Indeed, ask anyone off the street to name ten direcotrs, they can likely come up with a list of names. Ask them to name three editors, they will draw a blank. This DVD is unusual, in that it includes a full length commentary by Murch (testament to his role in the creation of this film) as well as a track by Coppola. Buy this DVD. Compare the commentary tracks. You may find, as I did, the editor's track to be more revealing about the craft of filmmaking. As far as how I feel about the acting, I won't add to the praise already written in the previous reviews, except to say that you must look at the actors in the context of the time when the film was made. Gene Hackman was a big star. A leading man. For him to portray a somewhat unattractive man was quite a risk. Harrison Ford, on the other hand, was a nobody. Althogh his was a minor role, not much bigger than that of an extra, Ford brings tremendous power and presence to the character. If you become as fascinated by editing as I have become, I recommend the book "In the Blink of an Eye" by Murch. A slim volume but speaks to the role of the editor and the nature of modern film.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best films of the 70's
Review: Movies like this don't come around often enough. This is truly one of the best movies of the 70's. Yet it seems somewhat overlooked by the general populace. Most people have never heard even of it. So if it's your first time watch it then tell all your friends about it. The DVD is good quality as well. This is the best i've seen the movie look. I can't tell you after all the years of watching the vhs version then suddenly seeing it on dvd, I must've commented to my friend a hundred times during the movie on how good it looked.
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